Agency Specialist

Job Description

BUILD YOUR FUTURE, WHILE PROTECTING THEIRS.
You will be challenged. Rewarded. And valued for your unique experience, background and perspective.

Join a team where hard work pays off and original thinking is celebrated. As you build your future at Westfield Insurance, you will quickly learn that protecting our customer’s future by delivering on our promise to help restore lives and rebuild businesses when the unexpected happens is at the heart of what we do. Building relationships and caring about people has been part of our culture since 1848. Be a part of a team that recognizes and appreciates those who take initiative, know how to elevate an idea and can innovate and seek opportunity in a changing world.

Agency Specialist

Job SummarySalary Range: $83,069.00-$95,529.00-$107,989.00

NOTE: This role will require travel that could be 25% of the time. We are open to a primary work location that could be in OH, GA, FL, SC, NC, VA).

The Agency Specialist is responsible for the distribution support for all enterprise-wide, non-revenue responsibilities for P&C operations, Surety, Westfield Bank, and Westfield Services. Focus areas include with a balance of proactive and responsive activities: total agency lifecycle management, agency prospecting, appointments, terminations, perpetuation, Agency Performance Sharing (APS) support, agency marketing and reinvestment support, enterprise wide problem resolution, general agency contact support, and new state launches. By staying current on industry and agency trends, provides input for agency management, including industry trend experience and agency review process input and support.

Essential Functions (primary functions and/or reasons the job exists in order of importance)
1. Provides enterprise-wide support for all non-revenue agency related activities. This includes merger and acquisitions, new agency locations and/or producer appointments including on-boarding, agency perpetuation, formal agency recognition/relationship management, managing and supporting agency benefits, communication and support of agency compensation (APS) and contracts, agency rehabilitations and terminations, TAPP pipeline support, and facilitating enterprise cross-functional agency interactions when needed (including opportunities for Surety, Westfield Bank, Westfield Services, and legal representations).
2. Serves as an enterprise-wide representative in connection with the primary agency service model for all agencies (excluding Trilogy, Horizon, and brokers/franchisors groups). Responsible for being proactive in contacting agencies with important company information, changes, and initiatives and for fielding incoming agency questions. In addition, delivers and responds to general enterprise communications and marketing needs, provides agency support for all non-business unit specific topics, and f acilitates interaction between agencies and appropriate areas within the business when additional enterprise opportunities arise.
3. Provides specific support for agency development functions and agency ‘life cycle’ management for Trilogy, Horizon, and brokers/franchisors agencies. This includes coordinating merger/acquisition and providing oversight for agency sub-location requests and appointments.
4. Plans, coordinates, and executes upon the state distribution plans in partnership with the business unit leaders.
5. Collaborates with the distribution resource team, Program Leader, broker/franchisor managers, and business unit leaders to ensure appropriate and timely implementation of contract, licensing, and agency compensation changes.
6. Provides training, direction, and appetite insights to agencies to enable them to effectively utilize automation programs, including WesCom automation and new producer agency training: address risk appetite, workflow expectations, Westfield integration, etc.
7. Provides insights and guidance about agency automation programs to enable “ease of business” opportunities and to ensure technological system alignment between enterprise systems and agency management systems.
8. Contributes to the bi-annual agency review process to ensure alignment and coordinates the work with the Distribution Program Leader and business unit leadership to support the long term Distribution vision.
9. Collaborates with internal business partners, as needed, to support competitive business strategies. Collaborates with peers and other departments to make decisions that are in the best interest of the company. Maintains effective and ongoing communication with Distribution staff, internal and external business partners, project team members and leadership.
10. Represents the company through participation and coordination of booths at trade shows and other industry events. Ga thers and shares any industry and/or governmental/legislative news, trends, and agency insights gained through attendance with distribution team and appropriate business units.
11. Travels as needed in order to perform other essential functions.

Desired Qualifications/Experience/Certification/Education (in order of importance)
1. 4 or more years of Property & Casualty Insurance industry experience in insurance operations and/or agency/territory management.
2. 2 or more years of experience in a combination of the following areas: the independent agency channel, agency/producer relations, agency lifecycle management, agency support, and/or training of operational procedures and computer applications.
3. Knowledge and/or experience with insurance carrier and/or agency metrics including proven ability to successfully apply and implement metrics to achieve results.
4. Demonstrated understanding of agency operations including pr oven business and financial acumen.
5. Proven ability to successfully collaborate and operate cross-functionally in an enterprise environment.
6. Demonstrated analytical and intuitive decision-making skills applied toward achieving performance goals.
7. Demonstrated strong oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills resulting in the ability to interact with all levels within the organization.
8. Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience.
9. Valid driver’s license and a driving record that conforms to company standards.

Physical Requirements (specific to the role)
* The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
* Ability to work effectively in an office environment for 40+ hours per week (including sitting, standing, and working on a computer for extended periods of time).
* A bility to communicate effectively in a collaborative work environment utilizing various technologies such as: telephone, computer, web, voice, teleconferencing, e-mail, etc.
* Ability to travel as required.
* Ability to operate an automobile within the parameters of the driving policy.

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed in this role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, skills, responsibilities, knowledge, etc. These may be subject to change and additional functions may be assigned as needed by management.

Westfield offers a Total Rewards program that focuses on compensation, benefits and wellness, and includes perks like 401(k), pension plan, annual incentive, education reimbursement, flex-time, onsite fitness center and casual dress. Work-life balance, recognition, and learning and career development are all part of a rewarding career with Westfield Insurance.

To learn more about Westfield and the opportunities available, please visit us at www.westfieldinsurance.com

We are an equal opportunity employer/minority/female/disability/protected veteran.

Company Overview

Westfield is a great place to work and grow in your career. Our success depends upon the people we employ…individuals who embrace a winning vision of sharing knowledge, building trust and providing support for the team

Westfield provides a broad portfolio of insurance and financial services backed by knowledgeable employees and a network of more than 1,000 professional independent insurance agencies. Westfield operates in 21 states for property and casualty insurance and 31 states for surety. Westfield is one of the nation’s Top 50 Property & Casualty insurance companies, one of the top writers of farm insurance in the country, and the largest writer of contract performance bonds in Ohio.